Review: Industry Ale House serves up much more than burgers

Cioppino, which is a dish that features mussels, shrimp, haddock, salmon, little necks, plum tomatoes and garlic crostini, at Industry Ale House in Forestdale. Jason Kolnos/Cape Cod Times

We tried the Industry Ale House, expecting burgers, wings and, maybe, nachos. The menu had all those things, but there were also a dozen entrees under $20 with an intriguing mix of Italian and Southern influences.

The menu had all those things, but there were also a dozen entrees under $20 with an intriguing mix of Italian and Southern influences. Jason, recently returned from a trip to Tennessee, was excited to see buttermilk fried chicken and beer-can chicken with ricotta dumplings and chicken gravy, each $16, on the menu. We were both intrigued by the use of smoked pork belly in several dishes, from mac-and-cheese to New England clam chowder.

Pork belly, even more fatty and salty than bacon and prized by chefs for its smooth, rich flavor, has been gaining ground in restaurants around the country since 2012. But the Industry Ale House is definitely using the ingredient in more ways than I have seen in other Cape restaurants.

Industry Ale House

79 Route 130, Forestdale

Kitchen open 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; noon to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Our server, Tabitha, was knowledgeable and friendly, offering tastes of three ales she was recommending, based on what I had described liking in an ale.

We started with a generously sized cup of chowder ($4). If you are one of those people who believes bacon has no place in a true New England chowder, this is probably not for you. While there were no pieces of pork, the thick chowder was permeated with the flavor of smoked pork. The clams were tender, as were the large chunks of potato. Between the cream and the pork belly, it was a rich dish and, even sharing, we couldn’t finish it.

We had the pulled pork nachos ($11) for an appetizer because it’s something unusual. The platter of nachos came with a mild melted orange cheddar, a few jalapeno rings and mounds of smoky, tender and delicious pork. The sour cream, guacamole and salsa were served on the side. As you might imagine, Jason was very happy to see that. The nachos were so good that we barely touched the condiments.

Jason had the beer-can chicken, which consisted of a half chicken, offering both white and dark meat that was falling-off-the-bone tender. The mild ricotta cheese didn’t add a strong taste but did wonders for the texture – creating light, tender dumplings. Jason ate chicken gravy several times in the South so he had a better basis for comparison. He complimented the Industry Ale House for gravy that was not too salty and had a pleasant, mild taste. The carrots in the dish were good, but the broccoli seemed out of place.

I went the Italian route, choosing cioppino ($19), which had salmon and haddock, as well as littleneck clams, shrimp and mussels. The meal was outstanding for the fact that none of seafood was overcooked. The salmon, especially, was terrific. My only complaints were that the crostini looked packaged and was so hard it wouldn’t soak up the tomato broth, which was pretty salty.

Split into a bar and a large dining room, Industry Ale House is rustic with a decor that matches. Fun fact: The toilet paper holder in the ladies’ room is a plumber’s elbow joint.

Located on Route 130 near the fire station and across from the Shell Station, Industry Ale House is not in a spot that draws a lot of drive-by customers, but it’s worth the trip.